The British Dental Health Foundation reports that 1 in 3 British people have never flossed their teeth in their entire life.
Flossing may not seem like the most enjoyable or necessary task, but it is in fact quite essential to your dental health. Both flossing and brushing are necessary parts of preventative care that helps maintain your dental wellness.
Regular flossing helps reach the spaces in between teeth to clear away food and debris that brushing can’t reach. While it sounds rather simple, flossing does actually require a bit of technique. Here are some tips to nail flossing like a dentist:
What material should I use?
Dentists will generally recommend waxed floss because it slides in between crevices easily and smoothly. If you want the best flossing material, some would recommend Teflon floss since it is more resistant to shredding.
How should I floss?
Start with around 15-18 inches of floss. Wrap the extra length on each end around your middle fingers on each hand, and leave a few inches between them, pulling it taught.
Gently, slide the sides of the floss up and down between each tooth in a rubbing motion. When you reach the gum line, carefully work the floss into the space between the gum line and the tooth.
Most people tend to only floss their front teeth since they are the easiest and most visible. Next time you floss, focus on the back molars, reaching the floss into the farthest tooth back.
How often should I floss?
In an ideal world, you should floss after every meal and snack. If you can only floss once a day, fit it in just before bedtime. Your mouth produces less saliva when sleeping, allowing more bacteria to build up. You can reduce this bacteria build up by flossing right before bed.
How to floss on the road
You can keep single-use, disposable floss in your bag with you wherever you go. It is especially useful to have on hand at dinner parties when you have stubborn food stuck between your teeth and can retire discretely to deal with it!
If you feel pain or if your gums bleed when you floss, consult your dentist as soon as possible so that a check can be made for gum disease.
